The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced on the Federal Register (Federal Register) that citizens of 83 countries are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs in 2018.
The H-2A visa program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States for temporary agricultural employment.
The H-2B program allows foreign nationals to be brought in for temporary, non-agricultural employment.
With few exceptions, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) only approves petitions from nationals of countries that the Secretary of DHS deems eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B program.
As of January 18, 2018, the Latin American countries eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs are as follows:
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Uruguay.
Spain and Portugal are also on the list.
You can see the complete list of all countries here.
This new list does not affect the status of individuals currently holding H-2A or H-2B visas.
The new list of eligible countries is announced on the Federal Register and is valid for one year from the date of publication.
Not everyone is eligible for an H-2A or H-2B visa. I recommend that you consult with an immigration attorney or a Board of Immigration Appeals accredited representative before beginning any immigration proceedings.
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